Monday, February 20, 2012

I'd Rather Feed the Trolls

Do it.

I've been on the Ye Olde Internet for going on ten years now. While that's not as long as a lot of "veterans" I know, I have been online since about fourteen or so, which is quite a formidable amount of my life. (Almost one half by this point, and certainly a majority of my self-conscious life.) In all that time I have seen a lot of trolls. And like any other young teen on the Net, I've been hurt by a lot of trolls. (Never forget the day somebody said my website sucked! Forever in my fiery heart, SailorCurious!) The thing is, for the most part, unless they're saying something super triggery and just generally heinous a la SVU, trolls are pretty easy to ignore the more you hang out on the internet.

As writers, we get trolled a lot. One day we're just beep-boopin along, and then suddenly somebody comments on a piece of flash fiction or a novel excerpt and lets us know just ~what they think~ in a nice array of SUPER flattering text.

Example: "omg you call this fiction?!!?! more like dumpster trash lololol"

okay, so that's a crappy example. Forgive me, been a long work day and I should go crash soon. Anyway, at first you think "Wow, that sucks. Thanks for ruining my day, bro," but then you think "bwahahaha they probably didn't even read it."

It's kind of the same with some bad reviews, especially from random strangers. Of course, genuine "bad reviews" are not fun at all, but many see them as learning experiences if it's applicable. It never feels good to have something you worked so hard and long at be treated like crap, but it's usually easier when it comes from a stranger, or a troll.

Then there's the bad reviews from your fellow writers. I don't know about you, but those are the ones that strike through me the hardest.

We writers are critical. We're hard on ourselves (or at least should be) and tend to be hard on other writers. It's why the beta process can be so important. We need our fellow writers to be critical, both in terms of what works and what doesn't.

Thus, it hurts doubly when they hate something we've done than when Joe Schmoe goes on a tangent.

Let's face it, y'all writers, deep down we all compete with each other. Perhaps not always monetarily and with sales, but at least mentally - we will always compare ourselves to every writer we come across. We'll bite our lips when somebody does something we've always wanted to be able to do so well, and we'll smugly think "haha I would never do that at least!" we see something we don't like at all. And of course, there's that pang of jealousy whenever somebody lands a book deal when we're still struggling. But of course we'll happily congratulate them and share in their excitement. Most of the time.

These aren't bad things. They're human nature. (Well, you could argue that it could be bad because it IS human nature..) But they're real. And it affects the way we interact with each other. It's easy to disregard somebody's writing as trash on days we're particularly down on ourselves and looking for validation. But I digress.

I apparently need to close up this blog entry now because I am making less and less sense (or just getting more and more tired) as time goes on: but basically, "trolls" are easy to write off (haha get it!!!) because ~what do they know~? But writers man, writers hatin' on your stuff is like a punch to the back of the head. Because what if they're right? and oh no we might have to make serious changes omg!!

This post is brought to you by a good idea I had that's been tainted by a 12 hour work day and even less sleep to back it up. I'm off to rectify that last point right now. Goodnight~ I am so happy I didn't attempt the queer characters post tonight oh man i am dyin'.Is there any one kind of review you just can't deal with even on a good day?

I would much rather have someone tell me something completely doesn't work than say something is mediocre because then I worry that a complete overhaul could make it worse. If it's already bad, things have to get better.

I try really hard any time I put something out on my blog to be prepared to suck up the bad with the good. I also try to remind myself that I need to at least evaluate the negative comments to see if there is any reality in it. It's not a comfortable feeling at all.

I think that's what we go through any time we post something on the web, or at least that's my experience after all these years. Post comments, forum posts, blog posts, fan-fiction, articles, etc etc it's all up for "public" scrutiny.

I seem to collect and eventually befriend about 60% of my trolls, including the one who never-ever failed to tell me on almost everything I posted what an incompetent and boring boob am I, and how the only-only-only real reason I'm on the net is because I lack satisfying sex in my life. Most of them are pathologically weirdos (just like me), and when you get to know them privately they're stories in themselves. Of course, every time you post fiction to pass judgement, that's what you're going get. But that's what you want don't you? No, I don't mean the kick in the teeth from when you first read it, and it makes you feel like poop on the bottom of someone's shoe. I mean after you got over that feeling, and got over "Fk-it! I'm NEVER writing again!" and you get to the part of: "Hmmmm... how can I fix it?" That's when I'm happy I had to go through the poop on the shoe feeling, because when I fix it, it sounds better. And you probably already know that a lit agent will only say "NO!" and never tell you why.

Ah, reviews and critiques . . . I have to say that I've had a few strange ones. The least helpful one I've ever had? Someone critiqued a short story of mine, and I had some very specific criteria that I had to follow for a contest. The suggestions they made pretty much said they didn't even listen to what I said. It was frustrating.

Hi Hildred - I've never heard that name before. Kind of a cross between Mildred and Hilda. :-)

Stopping by from fantasy list of campaigners.

I don't mind critical reviews that have intelligent things to say. That's how I learn. I haven't had any experiences with true trolls yet, but it's only a matter of time, I'm sure.

The only thing that bugs me is if someone posts a really low rating on GoodReads or Amazon but doesn't say why. As a writer, I'm honestly curious as to what didn't work for the reader. I can choose to ignore it or take it into consideration if it's common feedback.

Probably because it shares the same roots as both names ;) (although for the record, neither is my name. I've been called both enough times by now. It also is not Hildegarde.)

I think for a lot of people who give low reviews and don't say why, it's a combination of laziness and just "meh, I just didn't like it/care for it. Moving on now." Works for them, but not so much for us.

Inside Flap

Hi. I'm Hildred. I write both fantasy and romance novels. You
may know me as the author of the lesbian romance series REN'AI RENSAI. I
am currently doing the writing thing full time This may or may not
include time for a lover. I'm sorry. I can't commit right now.
BUT I CAN WRITE YOU A NOVEL :D